Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Under My Thumb

Song: Under My Thumb
Artist: La Roux
Album: La Roux - Gold Edition






I was going through a playlist of my favorite songs of 2009, and came across some killer singles by La Roux and Little Boots, two of my favorite new electro-pop acts to come out in some time.  Both have begun working on their sophomore albums, but I was reminded that La Roux had released a couple different versions of their debut, as well as a compilation album in the year and a half since the release of their self-titled album.

It had become part of their live set on tour, but the band also recorded a studio cover of The Rolling Stones' "Under My Thumb," which landed on that compilation "Sidetracked," but also made the tracklist to the bands re-released/remixed version of their debut released just last month entitled "The Gold Edition."

The album mostly contains more icy/dark versions of tracks off their debut (with some singles appearing twice) but adds the Stones' track, which works seamlessly in with the other tracks.  It's simply the song in their style... yet it works so well and almost sounds so much La Roux you might think they just wrote another killer track if not familiar.  I think that speaks to the level of songwriting they achieved for their debut.

"The Gold Edition" as a whole doesn't add up to much more than just a remix album, yet the piano-based "Abbey Road" version of "Bulletproof" is worth hearing, stripped down and raw, as well as the lounge version of "In For the Kill" that finishes the album.  Again, hearing the songs in a different context really highlights the songwriting.

I'm quite ready for that new album straight away. ;)

Enjoy.

Well... it turns out that the version on "Sidetracked" isn't the same as the version on "The Gold Edition." It's a bit harder edged and dancy...

Under My Thumb


Which do you like better?

Bulletproof (Abbey Road Sessions)


In For the Kill (Vevo Lounge Version)

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